Day 254 - Wings [ARC Review]

Wings

Aprilynne Pike

Series or Stand Alone: Laurel series, book one

Release Date: May 5, 2009

Publisher: HarperTeen

Pages: 304

Author Site: http://www.aprilynnepike.com/

My Rating: 3.75/5



Synopsis [from harperteen.com]:

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.


*author interview*

Review:

Laurel has always been a little different. She's on a strictly vegan diet even though she doesn't really eat much. She does however enjoy Sprite and canned peaches with the juice. She doesn't need much sleep either. Laurel's been home schooled her entire life. It's in her sophomore year that she has moved with her "hippie-ish" parents to Crescent City, California, which isn't too far from her first home near Orick. Her parents have decided to send her to public school while they pursue their dream business at a bookstore.

Laurel has some adjustments to make. She absolutely loves the outdoors and seems to have a real affinity for sunlight, but despite that she gets along pretty well. It doesn't take too long someone to take interest in Laurel. David is sweet and handsome and he just knows there's something special and different about Laurel. It takes some time for Laurel to warm up to him but she finally warms up to idea of having someone to call a close friend.

Things are going quite smoothly until Laurel notices a small bump right between her shoulder blades. She shrugs it off after first showing it to her mother, who suggests its just a zit. However, it continues to grow until one day, beautiful wing-like petals bloom from the softball-size bump. Although stunning, the wing-like blossom scares Laurel. Feeling utterly alone she turns to David for comfort and help. Together they are determined to figure out where Laurel's "wings" came from and what they mean.

I must say that Laurel was a great character. She's strong-willed and isn't necessarily interested in fitting in. I enjoyed seeing her take each situation she was given in stride without melting down. And although she's somewhat hesitant about asking for help, she is reasonable enough to know when she needs it. David is such a sweet guy. I gotta admit though I found him a bit creepy and/or stalker-ish in the beginning. But the feeling quickly faded - probably too many creepy guy vibes at work that fuddled my brain. I quickly found myself swooning over his kindness and understanding.

I'm sure most of you know by now from the many reviews already out about Wings that a love triangle forms in the book. Tamani is the other guy competing for Laurel's heart. Tam holds an appeal for Laurel that David just can't compare to. Terribly charming and alluring, Laurel still finds a way to hold her wits about her. I definitely sympathize with her. Love triangles and me rarely get along. I always end up wanting both guys because I'm greedy =) Anywho, I really appreciate the fact that this particular triangle isn't based on obsession or anything. I mean Laurel is very cautious with her emotions, which I really admire. (It's more than I can say about myself and my emotions)

This is my very first novel with faeries in it. And while I know a little bit of faery folklore, Aprilynne's interpretation of faeries is entirely different and unique. I did think the plot was somewhat stretched out and had it's slow moments. But I have a good feeling that with the upcoming installments, the series will continue to blossom into a unique world filled with Aprilynne's magical twists.